Gas igniter



Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I Application ianuary 20,

1933, Serial No. 852,703

2 Claims. (01. 175-115) Thisinvention relates to a gas igniter for usein connection with the burner of a range, beatem and the like, and inaccordance with the present invention an igniter of the character abovementioned is provided which is automatic in operation and which willpositively insure the igniting of the gas at the burner whenever theburner is turned on accidentally or otherwise.

The invention together with its numerous eb- Jects and advantages willbe best understood from a study of the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherei z plication of theinvention to a burner forming part of a gas range.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevational view showing the arrangement of theswitch forming part of the device. 1

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional eleva tional view of the insulatedplate and fixed contact forming part of the aforementioned switch.

' Figure 415 a fragmentary sectional elevational view showing the wedgemeans for automatical- 5 1y breaking the circuit subsequent to theigniting of the gas at the burner.

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of a bracket having mounted thereonan electro-magnet and other elements to be hereinafter more fullyreferred to and forming part of the igniter.

Figure 6 is a sectional elevational view showing the parts in positionsubsequent to the automatic breaking of the circuit, and

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring system.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals 5 designates the frameof a gas range or stove, the frame being shown fragmentarily. The gridis designated generally by the reference character 6, while 7 indicatesthe burner, 8 the gas supply pipe, 9 the branch connecting the pipe 8with the burner '7 and 10 the valve incorporated in the branch 9 tocontrol and regulate the supply of gas to the burner. All of the'construction thus far described is conventional and further detailsthereof are deemed unnecessary.

In accordance with the present invention there is suitably supported onthe frame 5 through the medium of a bracket 11 a shield 12 which has aportion thereof extending over a part of the burner '1 in a mannerclearly shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6. Mounted within the shield 12 is abracket 13 which supports an electro-magnet 14. One side of the magnet14 is in electrical con- Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the ap-'nection with a fixed contact 15 through the medium of the wire 16. Theaforementioned contact 15 forms part of a switch 8 to be hereinaftermore fully referred to. The other side of the magnet 14 is electricallyconnected with an no armature 17 suitably mounted on the shield 12 andinsulated therefrom as at 18. The armature 1'7 is arranged in operativeposition to the core of the magnet 14 and is also located adjacent thetopof the shield 12.

The aforementioned magnet 14 and armature 17 form'part of a sparking origniting device which also includes a contact carried by the armature 17and engageable with a fixed contact 19 suitably mounted on the shield 12and connected with a ground wire 20.

The magnet 14 is arranged in circuit with a battery B and to thepositive side of the battery B is connected the movable contact 16a ofthe switch S.

From a consideration of Figures 6 and 7 it will be seen that when theswitch S is closed the magnet 14 is energized thus drawing its armature17 downwardly to separate the contact 19 on shield 12 and the contact onthe armature 17.. An arc spark is thus caused between the contact 19 andthe contact of the armature 17 resulting in a lighting of the burner 7provided of course that the valve 10 is in an open position.

Means is provided for automatically operating 35 theswitch S, and in thepresent instance such means consists of a shutter 21 arranged in thebranch 9 and having as a part thereof a shaft 22 suitably joumalled inthe top wall of the branch and having an end extending outwardly andprovided with an arm 23. Suitably mounted on the arm 23 and insulatedtherefrom is the movable contact 16a. of said switch. Suitablymounted'on the branch-9 is a bracket 24 of insulating material andcarried by the bracket 24 is the 5 fixed contact 15 of the said switchS. It will thus be seen that when the valve 9 is open and gas flows fromthe supply pipe 8 through said branch to the burner, that the pressureexerted thereby on the shutter 21 will cause the same to swing to theposition shown in Figure 6 resulting in movement of contact 16a. intoengagement with contact 15 thus closing the circuit to the magnet 14 forswinging the armature 1'7 downwardly to separate the contact carriedthereby and contact 19 to provide a. spark gap between the contacts forigniting the gas at the burner.

Arm 23 and shutter 21 are normally urged to rotate in a clockwisedirection through the medium of spring 25.

The vanes 6a of the grid 6 at their inner ends are provided withdovetail slots 26 to accommodate a thermal ring 27. The expansion ring27 at one end is anchored in any suitable manner as at 28, and the otherend of the ring formed by the split in the ring, is extended downwardlyto provide an arm 29 that extends through a slot 30 in the hood orshield12. At its free end the arm 29' is provided with a. wedge shapedextension 31 that is adapted to wedgedly fit between the armature 17 andthe top of the shield 12 to flex the arm 17 downwardly for separatingthe contact 19 and the contact carried by the armature 1'7.

It will thus be apparent that ring 26 will be caused to expand by theheat from the burner 7, and upon expansion of the ring the wedge 31 willbe forced inwardly between the top of hood 12 and armature 17 forflexing the armature downwardly and thereby separating the contact 19and the contact carried by the armature thus breaking the circuit andpreventing undue burning of the just mentioned contacts, as well aswaste of electric energy.

The purpose of the hood 12 is to protect the magnet 14, armature 17, thecontact associated with the armature, and contact 19 from materials thatmay be spilled or may boil over, such as soups and the like.

There is also provided on the burner -'7 a. baffle 32 that is arrangedadjacent one end of the shield 12 and serves to prevent thoseperforations of the burner that are disposed substantially beneath theshield 12 from becoming clogged, and thereby insure efllcient emissionof gas from the burner at a point in proximity to the contact 19 andarmature 17 for igniting purposes.

Even though I have herein shown and described the preferred embodimentof the invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible offurther changes, modifications and burner and a grid mounted above saidburner of an igniting device arranged in operative position to theburner and including a fixed contact, an electro-magnet, a pivotedarmature adapted to be attracted by said magnet, a contact on thearmature normally engaged with said fixed contact, a switch forcontrolling the supply of current to said magnet, a thermal ring mountedon said grid and having an arm extending downwardly in operativeposition to said armature, and providedwith means for engaging thearmature to flex the same downwardly for separating said contacts uponexpansion of said thermal ring.

2. In-an igniter of the class described, a fixed contact, a pivotallymounted armature provided with a contact normally engaged with the fixedcontact, electro-magnetic means arranged in operative position to thearmature for attracting the latter for separating said contacts in amanner to cause an arc spark between said contacts, and thermal meansengageable with said armature for separating said contacts independentlyof said electro-magnetic means.

LEON C. DANIELS.

